Clothes-drier.



PATENTED Nov. 28, 1905.

T. A. CAMPBELL. CLOTHES DRIER. APPLIGATIONIILBD MAR.19,1904.

m big-1 e s s e D t W Ids/AW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLOTHES-DRIER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 28, 1905.

Application filed March 19, 1904. Serial No. 198,986.

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, THOMAS A. CAMPBELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Eureka, in the county of Humboldt and State of California, have invented a new and useful Clothes-Reel, of which thefollowing is aspecification.

This invention relates to reels employed for supporting clothes while drying, and has for its object to simplify and improve the construction and produce a device of this character which may be manufactured at small expense and which will be strong, durable, and easily operated.

With these and other objects in view, which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in certain novel features of construction, as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which corresponding parts are denoted by like designating characters, is illustrated the preferred form of embodiment of the invention capable of carrying the same into practical operation, it being understood that the invention is not necessarily limited thereto, as various changes in the shape, proportions, and general assemblage of the parts may be resorted to without departing from the principle of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages, and the right is therefore reserved of making all the changes and modifications which fairly fall within the scope of the invention and the claims made therefor.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a clothes-reel embodying the features of the present invention, the supporting-post and the housing for the elevating means being broken away. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device complete. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the standard with reel-mast in transverse section and the cover of the Windlass-box removed. Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

The improved device comprises a standard, (represented as a whole at 10,) either in the form of a solid post or built up from planking or timbers and supported in any desired manner. The lower end of the standard may be sunk in the ground or it may be erected upon a house, shed, or other structure; but as these different Ways of supporting such devices are so well known it is not deemed necessary to illustrate them. The standard is formed with a longitudinal channel or guideway 1 1, opening outwardly with the margins of the guideway formed with segmental longitudinal bearings 12 13 and with spaced guide-clips 14 15 of substantially U shape and attached to the sides of the standard and inclosing the guideway and longitudinal bearings. At its upper end the standard 10 is provided with a recess 16, intersecting the guideway 11, and a cable-pulley 17 is mounted for rotation therein by a transverse bolt 18, the bolt also being utilized to support the up er guide-clip 14, as shown.

Attached to the sides ofthe standard 10 are brackets 19 20, extending rearwardly of the same and carrying a Windlass 21, having an operating-handle 22 and ratchet-wheel 23, the latter having a stop-pawl 24 associated therewith in the usual manner. The top of the standard and the brackets and Windlass are provided with a cover 25 to protect and conceal them.

Slidably disposed in the guideway 11 is a relatively long hanger 26, having a laterallyextending step 27 at its lower end and a cable 28 leading from its upper end. and thence over the guide-pulley 17 to the Windlass 21. By this means the hanger 26 may be moved longitudinally of the guideway 11, as will be obvious.

The clips 14 15 and the longitudinal bearings 12 13 are segments of circles and disposed in longitudinl alinement, and a socket in the step 27 is disposed centrally of the clips and the bearings, as represented.

The reel from which the clothes are suspended consists of a'central mast 29, having radiating arms 30, to which the clothes lines or wires 31 are connected, the arms being connected to the mast at a distance down from its top and supported from the upper terminal of the mast by diagonal brace-wires 32. The mast below the arms 30 is circular and fits the clips 14 15 and engages the bearingsurfaces 12 13 of the standard and is stepped for rotation by a stud 33 in the step 27. By this arrangement it will be obvious that the mast carrying the reel may be moved longitudinally of the standard by merely rotating the Windlass 21 and held at any point of elevation by the stop-pawl 24 and free to rotate in the clips and upon the step at all points of its movement. It will also be obvious that the mast bears at all times against the bearings 12 13 and is firmly supported thereby in coaction with the clips and steps.

It will be obvious that a simply-constructed,

strong, and durable device is produced, inexpensive in construction, and which may be easily erected where required.

An important advantage of the present device resides in the fact that the hanger 26 and the sus ension-cable therefor are housed between t e mast 29 and the back of the guide- Way in which said mast works, while the Windlass 21, the guide-roller 17, and the upper portion of the cable are protected by the casing or housing, wherefore these parts can not become choked by accumulations of ice thereon, and therefore the device is always in condition for adjustment.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is In a clothes-reel, the combination of a standard having a pair of spaced longitudinal flanges constituting a guideway with the inner edgesof the flanges beveled to converge inwardly, a vertically-movable mast working against the beveled edges of the flanges as guides, said flanges closing the opposite sides of the space between the mast and the standard to exclude foreign matter therefrom, a clothes-reel carried by the top of the mast, a hanger working in the guideway with the mast supported thereon, and elevating means carried by the standard and connected to the hanger.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS A. CAMPBELL.

Witnesses:

GEO. F. HILL, SAXoN HUGNIN. 

